Anze Kopitar also scored and Jonathan Quick made 23 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who won for the fifth time in six games after beginning the day 11th in the Western Conference and two points out of a playoff spot. Last season, the Kings became the first team in history to win the Cup as an eighth seed.

Milan Hejduk scored a power-play goal for the Avalanche, who had won their previous five meetings with the Kings. Semyon Varlamov made 22 saves.